Presenter Jeremy Bowen has bowed out of his role on the BBC's Breakfast show after fronting it for two years.

The former Middle East correspondent decided to finish his early morning presenting job to write a book, before returning to foreign reporting.

His position on the Breakfast sofa will be filled by former ITN newsreader Dermot Murnaghan.

He will join presenter Sophie Raworth, who will be stepping up to co-present the Six O'Clock News in 2003. Sky New's Natasha Kaplinsky will join Murnaghan on Breakfast.

Thanks for all the good stuff

Jeremy Bowen

For his final stint on the show, there were clips of Bowen's highlights.

These included a look back at one of his toughest assignments, reporting on the aftermath of the 11 September attacks.

He and a production team flew out in the days following the tragedy to cover the events for Breakfast.

He was there to cover the human interest stories as relatives frantically searched for their loved ones.

Funny montage

Mr Bowen returned to the Middle East in April 2002 as America carried out its peace mission to Israel.

Dermot Murnaghan takes over from Bowen

During his last show co-presenter Ms Raworth presented him with a scrapbook containing messages from the public as well as photos of himself and the crew.

A montage of his funnier moments was also screened, featuring clips of him discussing sex on more than a few occasions.

It also showed the moment when he hit the headlines himself for wearing no socks.

After a viewer e-mailed in to ask why he was not wearing any, he lifted up his feet to show everyone his sandaled feet.

Because this followed the controversial decision of newsreader Peter Sissons to wear a maroon tie to announce the death of the Queen Mother Mr Bowen's, bare feet became news.

Comic Relief

The next day the picture was plastered over the tabloids, who jokingly saw it as another example of BBC news becoming more casual and it became dubbed the sandal scandal.

There was also the chance to see Mr Bowen dancing in the corridors of the BBC in aid of Comic Relief.

Signing off, he said: "Thank you to everyone. It's been a great couple of years, with hard moments as well as fun moments but I have enjoyed it.

"Doing Breakfast TV dominates your life in a way that no other programme does in terms of getting up and when you go to bed. Thanks for all the good stuff. Keep watching Breakfast."